Pedestal base



Nov. 22, 1966 F, MCMAHAN, JR 3,286,965

PEDESTAL BASE Filed March 5, 1966 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,286,965 PEDESTAL BASE Roy F. McMahan, Jr.,Harrods Creek, Ky., assignor to American Metal Products Company,Detroit, Mlch., a corporation of Michigan Filed Mar. 3, 1966, Ser. No.531,416 9 Claims. (Cl. 248188.7)

This invention relates to a pedestal base of the type suitable forsupporting furniture and the like, and, more specifically, to a pedestalbase including a pair of crossed leg members with each leg member havinga mid portion and first and second ends with a bow shape between theends and a cross section including interconnected diverging sides andwherein the diverging sides of one of the leg members about and areconnected to the diverging sides of the other leg member at the crossedand normally include a leg member which contacts, or

is adapted to contact, the floor at the ends and is attached to asupport structure at the mid portion thereof, the support structurebeing adapted to support the piece of furniture. The leg members arenormally bow shaped upwardly toward the mid portion from the respectiveends to provide an attractive appearance and so that the leg memberscontact the floor at the ends. Such bow shaped leg members must be madeof suflicient strength to support loads thereon while remaining 'bowshaped. At the same time, however, such leg members are preferably madeof a minimum of material to reduce material costs and the number ofmanufacturing operations necessary to form the legs.

The aforementioned application has as an object the provision of apedestal base utilizing bowed leg members of an attractive configurationand comprising a minimum of material to support a piece of furniturethrough support means disposed on the leg members and includingspecially configured clamp means interconnecting the support ing of thebow shape from the leg members as forces are applied thereto. Morespecifically, there is provided a pair of leg members with support meansdisposed on the leg members and adapted to be connected to a piece offurniture and each leg member has a cross section which includesinterconnecting diverging sides and a clamp means is provided tointerconnect the support means and the diverging sides of the legmembers to apply forces to the sides of the leg members for preventingthe sides from moving together to prevent the removal of the bow shapeas forces are applied to the leg members through the support means.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of the instant invention toprovide a pedestal base of the aforementioned type which includes a pairof crossed leg members each having a cross section of interconnecteddiverging sides wherein the diverging sides of one of the leg membersabut the diverging sides of the other leg member at the intersectionthereof and wherein the diverging sides of one leg member are fused tothe diverging sides of the other leg member at the abutmentstherebetween 50 means and the leg members for preventing the straighten-3,286,965 Patented Nov. 2-2, 1966 ice to prevent the removal of the bowshape from'the legs as forces are applied thereto through the supportmeans.

In general, these and other objects and features may be attained by apedestal base including a pair of crossed leg members with a supportmeans disposed on the leg members and adapted to support a piece offurniture. Each leg member has first and second ends with a bow shapebetween the ends. Each leg member also has a cross section of asubstantially V-shape which increases in size from the ends to the midportion of each respective leg member. The support means includes anelongated member having a pair of V-shaped notches in a first endthereof with each of the leg members disposed in one pair of thenotches. A plate is disposed across the second end of the elongatedmember and is adapted to be attached to a piece of furniture. A tensionmeans interconnects the plate and the leg members for securing theplate, the elongated member, and the leg members together. Therespective diverging sides of the leg members are prevented from movingtogether so that the leg members will retain their respective bow shapesas forces are applied thereto through the elongated member by weldingthe respective diverging sides of opposite leg members together at theabutments therebetween at the intersection of the crossed leg members.The instant invention, therefore, provides a pedestal base utilizing apair of crossed leg members with an attractive bow shape yet made of aminimum of material and constructed in a manner to provide high strengthto prevent the removal of the bow shape therefrom.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will bereadily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by referenceto the following detailed description when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of theinstant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view takensubstantially along line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view partially broken away andtaken substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown,generally at 10, a pedestal base for supporting a piece of furnituresuch as that illustrated in phantom in FIGURE 1.

A first leg member, generally shown at 12, has first and second ends 14with a bow shape between the ends 14. The ends 14 ofthe leg member 12are adapted to contact a support structure such as a floor, preferablythrough the members 16. The leg member 12 includes a mid portion,generally shown at 18, which is disposed at a distance above the floorwhen the ends 14 are disposed upon the floor due to the bow shape of theleg member 12. There is also included a second leg member, generallyshown at 20, and, like the leg member 12, has a bow shape between theopposite ends thereof so that the mid portion is disposed above thefloor when the ends are in contact with the floor. The leg member 20also utilizes the members 16 at the respective ends thereof. Each of theleg members 12 and 20 has a cross section, at least at the mid portionsthereof, which includes interconnecting diverging sides 22 and 24, and26 and 28 respectively. The cross section of each of the respective legmembers 12 and 20 forms a V-shape which increases in size from therespective ends of the leg members 12 and 20 to the respective midportions thereof. The leg members 12 and 20 also include respectivecomplementary notches 30 and 32 whereby the first leg member 12 isdisposed ings.

in crossed relationship with the second leg member 20 so that each ofthe leg members 12 and 20 is disposed in the notch of the other legmember. That is, the first leg member 12 is disposed in the notch 30 ofthe second leg member 20 and the second leg member 20 is disposed in thenotch 32 of the first leg member 12. The diverging sides 22 and 24 ofthe first leg member 12, therefore, abut the diverging sides 26 and 28of the second leg member 20 along the edges forming the notch 32 in theleg member 12. There is also included means interconnecting the legmembers 12 and 20 at the abutments of the respective diverging sideswhich includes a fusion, as by the welds indicated .at 34. The welds 34prevent the sides 22 and 24 of the first leg member 12 and the sides 26and 28 of the second leg member 20 from moving together to prevent toremoval of the bow shape from the respective leg members 12 and 20 asforces are applied thereto, which in turn greatly increases the bowstrength of the leg members 12 and 20.

There is also included a support means, generally shown at 40, which isdisposed on the leg members 12 and 20 and is adapted to be connected toa piece of furniture.

having two pair of V-shaped notches 44 in one end so that each of theleg members 12 and 20 is disposed in one pair of notches 44. A plate 46is disposed across the other end of the elongated member 42 and isadapted to be attached to a piece of furniture to be supported by theleg -other end to the clamping member 48 by the nuts 52.

The diverging sides 26 and 28 of the leg member 20 are indented, asgenerally shown at 54, to allow the tie rods 50 to be closely spaced andto pass on either side of the leg member 20.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner and it is tobe understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to bein the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teach- It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A base of the type suitable for supporting furniture and the likecomprising a first leg member having a mid portion and first and secondends with a bow shape between said ends; a second leg member having amid por- -The support means 40 includes an elongated member 42 v saidends thereof, each of said leg members having a cross section, at leastat the mid portion thereof, which includes interconnected divergingsides, said leg members having respective complementary notches withsaid first leg member disposed in crossed relationship with said secondleg member so that each of said leg members is disposed in the notch ofthe other leg member whereby said diverging sides of one of said legmembers abut said diverging sides of the other leg member, and meansinterconnecting said leg members at the abutments therebetween forpreventing said diverging sides from moving together to maintain the bowshapes of said leg members.

2. A base as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means includes a fusionbetween said diverging sides at the abutments therebetween.

3. A base as set forth in claim 1 wherein said diverging sides of eachof said leg members form a V-shape which increases in size from saidfirst and second ends to the respective mid portions thereof.

4. A base as set forth in claim 3 including support meansvdisposed onsaid leg members and adapted to be connected to a piece of furniture.

5. A base as set forth in claim 4 wherein said support means includes anelongated member having two pair of V-shaped notches in a first endthereof with each of said said leg members disposed in one of said twopair of notches.

6. A base as set forth in claim 5 including a plate disposed across thesecond end of said elongated member. and adapted to be attached to thepiece of furniture to be supported by said leg members.

7. A base as set forth in claim 6 including tension: meansinterconnecting said plate and at least one of said leg members forsecuring said plate, said elongated memher, and said leg memberstogether.

8. A base as set forth in claim 7 wherein said tension means includes aclamping member engaging at leastone of said leg members, and at leastone tie rod disposed I within said elongated member and secured at oneend thereof to said plate and secured at the other end thereof to saidclamping member.

9. A base as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means interconnectingsaid leg members at the abutments therebetween comprises a fusion bywelding at the abutments between said sides, said welds disposed Withinsaid diverging sides.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY,Primary Examiner,

1. A BASE OF THE TYPE SUITABLE FOR SUPPORTING FURNITURE AND THE LIKECOMPRISING A FIRST LEG MEMBER HAVING A MID PORTION AND FIRST AND SECONDENDS WITH A BOW SHAPE BETWEEN SAID ENDS; A SECOND LEG MEMBER HAVING AMID PORTION AND FIRST AND SECOND ENDS WITH A BOW SHAPE BETWEEN SAID ENDSTHEREOF, EACH OF SAID LEG MEMBERS HAVING A CROSS SECTION, A LEAST AT THEMID PORTION THEREOF, WHICH INCLUDES INTERCONNECTED DIVERGING SIDES, SAIDLEG MEMBERS HAVING RESPECTIVE COMPLEMENTARY NOTCHES WITH SAID FIRST LEGMEMBER DISPOSED IN CROSSED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SECOND LEG MEMBER SOTHAT EACH OF SAID LEG MEMBERS IS DISPOSED IN THE NOTCH OF THE OTHER LEGMEMBER WHEREBY SAID DIVERGING SIDES OF ONE OF SAID LEG MEMBERS ABUT SAIDDIVERGING SIDES OF THE OTHER LEG MEMBER, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAIDLEG MEMBERS AT THE ABUTMENTS THEREBETWEEN FOR PREVENTING SAID DIVERGINGSIDES FROM MOVING TOGETHER TO MAINTAIN THE BOW SHAPES OF SAID LEGMEMBERS.